


black diamond

by gotham_ruaidh



Series: Gotham Writes for Imagine Claire & Jamie [155]
Category: Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:54:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29950956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gotham_ruaidh/pseuds/gotham_ruaidh
Summary: “What is it?”“An adamant; a black diamond. The auld alchemists used them. The books say that to wear an adamant brings ye the knowledge of the joy in all things.”– Claire and Geillis (Duncan) Abernathy, Voyager–“You have the adamant,” I said, touching it gently…“I have,” he said, but he was looking at me, not at the stone, a slight smile on his face. “What is it an adamant gives ye? The knowledge of joy in all things?”“So I was told.” I lifted my hand to his face and stroked it lightly.– Claire and Jamie Fraser, Voyager
Series: Gotham Writes for Imagine Claire & Jamie [155]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/345047
Comments: 11
Kudos: 57





	black diamond

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted at [Imagine Claire & Jamie](https://imagineclaireandjamie.tumblr.com/post/645198506988109824/prompt-black-diamond) on tumblr

It was a surprisingly quiet afternoon, crisp air on the cusp of autumn.

Claire Fraser, hunched over the desk in her surgery, set down her quill and stretched. Watching - and listening - as a wagon pulled into the dooryard and Ian materialized from the porch, wee Oggy strapped to his back, to take the horses.

Roger and Brianna hopped down from the wagon, no doubt grateful to be home after a three-week trip to Wilmington. Just in time for Jem and Mandy’s footsteps to thunder in the hallway and out into the dooryard to collide with their parents’ legs.

It was the longest that they had been separated since returning to the past just a few months before, and Claire’s heart soared to have her family whole again.

Now Jamie trudged over from the barn - still not quite finished - to greet them. He shook Roger’s hand and kissed Bree’s cheek. Claire couldn’t hear what they were discussing, but she knew Jamie would fill her in.

All would be shared, in good time. For time was what they had now.

She pushed back her chair, closed her ledger, stood, and went outside to greet them.

–

“I’ve a wee gift for ye.”

Claire set down her hairbrush and turned to face her husband - suddenly bashful in the doorway of their bedroom.

“Whatever for?”

Flushed, Jamie coughed uncomfortably. “Does a man need a reason to give a gift to his wife of thirty-five years?”

“No, of course not. Only - I’m surprised. And touched.”

Carefully he sat on the bed beside her.

“Hold out yer hand.”

She did - and he brought a fist from behind his back to drop something warm into it.

Blankly Claire stared at the long silver chain and the dark stone nestled among the links.

“It’s an adamant,” Jamie quietly explained. “We had one when we came to Georgia, do you recall?”

“I do. An adamant is meant to provide the knowledge of joy in all things.”

Softly, he took the chain from her and clasped it around her neck. The cabochon-cut gem settled at the midpoint of her breastbone - just below the neckline of her dresses.

“You have given me the knowledge of joy in all things, _mo nighean donn_ , since the first day we met.” He caressed the wings of her collarbones with his thumb. “And I did once say that I wished to bedeck ye in laces and jewels.”

“And I did say then that such things are unnecessary.” She smiled. “Not that I’m not grateful, Jamie, but - why now? We can’t afford this, not when the house still has to be finished - ”

“We can afford it, Claire, and we will. We’ve the Frenchman’s gold.”

She pursed her lips. “But still. Why?”

He kissed her cheek. “Besides the fact that it looks bonny against your skin?”

She pulled back. “I mean it. Why?”

He met her eyes head-on. “It’s an insurance policy. If things were to get bad, too bad here. If I am to die before this war is over. You must use this to go back, Claire.”

“My place is here.”

“Your place is to be safe. I will protect ye with the last drop of blood in my body, Claire. But if I am no longer here to do that…” he shuddered. “It is only if ye had to. If I was dead. It’s no’ safe for you here, wi’out me.”

He took her hands. Imploring. “Please. Accept this.”

“I do,” she vowed. “Though I hope I’ll never have to use it.”

“Allow me to keep you safe in all ways that I can.”

She kissed him. “You are my adamant, too,” she whispered against his lips. 


End file.
